Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have derived material from trees to create a new solar cell that they believe paves the way for recyclable, sustainable, and renewable solar-cell technology. (Source: Georgia Institute of Technology)

William, like Elizabeth I suspect that the researchers may have already figured out under just what circumstances water will make the cells break down. It's quite possible that, like other recyclable materials, this will only occur under certain circumstances, like the anaerobic conditions of landfills, or at certain temperatures.

Thanks for reporting on this, Elizabeth. Looks like a complete win-win to me, and a form of biomimicry we don't often see: using plant biology, not animal biology, as a model. I'm not surprised this comes from Georgia Tech--besides leading robotics research, they've also been working on alternative energy and power sources for a long time.

Yes, I totally see your point, William K, and solar systems typically last 20 to 25 years. I am pretty sure the designers of this cell are thinking of reliability as well and the cells won't just dissolve under a few drops of water. But I would have to speak more to them about the cells to find out for sure how the recylcling process works.

Elizabeth, my point is that giveen the cost and effort to set up a reliable solar cell system it only makes sense to have it last a while. After all, much of the expense is in the installation and supporting system, not in the cell arrays themselves. And based on what I have seen in many other products it is clear that a long product lifetime is not one of the concerns of the makers. Sometimes customers do force a reliability requirement to be considered, but it does not often happen.

I can see your concern, William K. But I think the idea is to recycle and reuse rather than have a product with a long lifespan that once it's over, becomes yet another piece of garbage in a landfill or in the ocean (where a lot of trash ends up). I am sure this process will be addressed and refined--and better explained--as scientists progress further in their research.

I see a serious rliability problem with solar cells that break down when watter is applied. This is because the intended product lifespan is over 20 years. Quick decomposition is just not the way for a product to last 20 years. Doesn't anybody else see a problem with that?

I see a serious rliability problem with solar cells that break down when watter is applied. This is because the intended product lifespan is over 20 years. Quick decomposition is just not the way for a product to last 20 years. Doesn't anybody else see a problem with that?

This is a good development. With the number of cells that would be required to be a viable energy source, the idea that they would not be easily recycled is a problem. It also adds to their carbon footprint. If course, the real problem with solar energy is not the cells, but energy storage. Until that is solved, their use will be limited.

Yes, if they can keep the price down then it could definitely be a good alternative to glass or plastic for solar cells, reducing use of synthetic materials and the waste those materials cause. Anything that can do that is definitely a step forward ecologically. While it's good to use natural energy like solar, sometimes the technology itself isn't doing much for the environment. Then again, I hope that if wood from trees is used to make cells, it is also replenished in some way.

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